McDonnell's office says that a "surprised" governor first learned of the move to oust Sullivan "late Wednesday."

hawes spencer

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As many of you know, no major decision of this kind can be made at Virginia without the support and assent of the Governor. –Peter Kiernan

Ever since sending these words in his infamous "this project" email, then Darden Foundation Chair Peter Kiernan and Governor Bob McDonnell have taken pains to distance themselves from the ouster of President Teresa Sullivan and the damage it has inflicted upon the University of Virginia. Kiernan promptly resigned as chair of the Foundation; and McDonnell– fortuitously, as Charlottesville erupted, off in Europe on a trade mission– has said he won't "micro-manage" University affairs.

McDonnell has explained away questions about any advance knowledge by informing other media that he merely got a courtesy call from the Rector a couple of days before the Rector dropped an axe on the neck of a popular and legally-appointed president.

"He was surprised by the decision," says spokesperson Tucker Martin. Another spokesperson points to Kiernan's later disavowals of the assertion about the governor's "support and assent."

If it's true that the governor didn't pre-approve the stealthy plan to remove a sitting president, several factors– the plan's secrecy, its potential illegality, and his unwillingness to remove the executioner– combine to make many people construe McDonnell's inaction as tacit approval.

And then there's his Friday message to the public.

In words that did little to diminish the impression that he might stand with those who ousted President Sullivan, McDonnell issued a statement lamenting the "war," the "predictable press frenzy," and the "few" faculty, staff, and alumni "who foment division that only adds to the troubles."

"Please stop," the governor implores in that June 22 statement, which escaped most press notice, perhaps because it was overshadowed by his same-day headline-grabbing vow to seek resignations from the entire Board if members fail to end the controversy on Tuesday.

Although it contained that ultimatum, the Governor's letter to the Board of Visitors also seemed to reaffirm Board authority to unilaterally make personnel decisions.

"While public input is very important and should be given due consideration, it is not the responsibility of the faculty, staff, alumni, donors or other parties– or even the Governor– to manage the University," writes McDonnell in a message that would be referenced later that day by Rector Helen Dragas, who expressed appreciation for the Governor's leadership, for "affirming the importance of Board governance, and that we alone are appointed to make these decisions on behalf of the University, free of influence from outside political, personal or media pressure."

Open government guru Waldo Jaquith says he's been frustrated by McDonnell's refusal to take a position.

"He's guilty of a false equivalency, of pretending that there are two equal sides in this matter," says Jaquith, a Democrat who admits that he is no fan of McDonnell's political positions.

"Often people who seek to appear impartial will declare a pox on both their houses," Jaquith says. "I think that's what he's done here."

"I think he wants it to go away," says Cavalier Daily editor Matt Cameron of McDonnell's response to the tempest taking place on grounds and online.

Indeed, as the Governor references in the June 22 statement, he returned to Richmond last week from a trade trip to Europe for just a few days before flying cross country to Utah to mingle with Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in what is widely perceived as a VP vetting trip. Then, McDonnell carried on to San Diego, where, the Washington Post reports, he attended a seminar put on by influential and conservative billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, major donors to Republican-backed causes.

But if McDonnell's hoping the BOV/Sullivan mess will go away, he may be disappointed. Even if Sullivan is reinstated at the scheduled Board meeting on Tuesday, the cries for an investigation into whether laws were broken likely won't die down unless Dragas resigns or isn't reappointed.

As has been widely reported, questions have arisen over whether Dragas may have broken the law when she reportedly told Sullivan she had the votes to dismiss her. While she initially claimed an "overwhelming consensus," later reports have questioned the level the support she had actually mustered before hastily convening three members of the Board's executive committee on June 10– along with now-resigned vice rector Mark Kington and developer Hunter Craig– to vote to accept Sullivan's resignation.

"If it's overt misrepresentation, then it's fraud," says Hook legal analyst David Heilberg, adding that it would be hard to prove that Dragas was acting with the criminal intent required to prosecute such a case.

Then there was the process by which Dragas apparently ascertained the board members' support for the Sullivan ouster. Speaking with them one at a time, and without holding a public meeting or vote, is something critics claim may have violated open government law.

Heilberg, however, says board members are allowed to talk one-on-one "within reason." However, if Dragas was deliberately conducting the process to circumvent open government laws in order to keep the public– and Sullivan– in the dark, she may have acted illegally.

"Whether she crossed the line," says Heilberg, "will depend on some things we don't know."

Other legal questions have arisen over whether the Board met the requirements to call the "emergency meeting" of the executive committee on June 10. Such meetings are restricted by law to situations in which "unforeseen" circumstances arise, yet as an email from resigned Darden Foundation Chair Peter Kiernan reveals, and as Dragas' and Kington's emails released through Freedom of Information Act requests confirm, the decision to remove Sullivan had been discussed, at a minimum, for weeks. Heilberg, however, says it would be hard to prosecute such a claim calling the word "unforeseen" a "term of art."

"It's unforeseen that she's not going to serve out her five-year contract, even though they made it happen, because you don't 'foresee' someone getting out of her contract early," says Heilberg, noting that a savvy attorney could argue either side.

All of this may be moot if Sullivan is reinstated, a move that has a tsunami of support.

The list of those urging the reinstatement of the president includes the Faculty Senate, all UVA deans not named Zeithaml, the members of the UVA Council of Foundations, several past members of the Board of Visitors, both living past University presidents, over a dozen Virginia legislators, and nearly 16,000 members of an alumni Facebook page called Hoos4Honor.

So far, the loudest– practically the only– voice endorsing Sullivan's ouster is University of Maryland professor Peter Morici, who penned a piece for FoxNews.

It turns out Morici has a history of "astroturfing." In 2005, he was found to be writing letters to editors endorsing steel tariffs while getting paid for consulting for Nucor Corporation, the nation's largest steel producer. "In most cases, his role as a paid consultant was not disclosed," wrote Accuracy in Media.

"I have absolutely no relationship or arrangement with any interested party in the UVA-Sullivan affair, or anyone representing or advocating a participant or position in the affair," Morici says in response to a reporter's question. "I wrote the opinion piece on the basis of my own interest in the issue. No one asked me to write it, no one suggested the topic to me, and I did not receive any compensation or considerations." (He calls mention of his past astroturfing "unfair.")

So McDonnell can probably count on at least one member of the academy to support his view, which he expressed in his June 22 statement: "The only legitimate question now facing the board is: What leadership is required at UVA to continue to pursue increased excellence in the 21st century?"

One vocal critic of the Board's decision to oust Sullivan says he's withholding judgement on McDonnell until he sees the outcome of the Board appointments.

"Once he's able to take the time to examine what has happened over the last few weeks, he's going to pick new members of the board who will have the long-term interests of the university first and foremost in their minds," says media studies professor Siva Vaidhyanathan. "It would shock me if he reappointed the rector."

While there have been boisterous calls for Dragas to resign, she has shown no signs of doing it.

Some of her statements have stoked fears that a new president has already been secretly tapped, a conspiratorial idea but one that Dragas herself may have begun fueling in her remarks to deans that fateful Sunday the 10th of June.

"The appropriate day of judgment on this decision will come," said Dragas, "at the time that a new president has been installed and given an opportunity to prove himself or herself as the leader the institution needs and deserves."

Who that person might be remains a question, although sources note that one prominent businessman has taken a particular interest in Virginia's higher education and even served on UVA's presidential search committee prior to Sullivan's 2010 hire.

That person is former UVA Rector Thomas F. Farrell II, who serves as President and CEO of the parent company of Dominion Virginia Power, a position for which he was compensated $14 million in 2011, according to SEC filings. In addition, Farrell serves as chair of the Governor's Commission on Higher Education Reform, Innovation and Investment, an appointment McDonnell made in 2010. In fact, the two men have a long history together having graduated from Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria in 1972, and Farrell, a UVA Law grad, gave McDonnell nearly $72,000 in political donations during his gubernatorial run.

Both Dragas and Kington sit on Dominion's Board, and press accounts from the past several years show Dominion's close and supportive relationship with McDonnell, who stood with power company officials at a February press conference announcing a new power plant in Warren County. The joint appearance of Farrell and McDonnell implied the Governor's endorsement of the plant, said an article on the anti-Dominion website endpowermadness.com, "despite the fact that [McDonnell's] own regulatory agencies have yet to receive or review the company's official plan for the plant."

One Farrell acquaintance scoffs at the notion that Farrell has his eye on the UVA presidency.

"I'd be stunned if there was any truth in that," says UVA law professor John Jeffries, who served on the UVA presidential search committee with Farrell.

"By the way," Jeffries chuckles, "he has a pretty good job."

Regardless of who might have eyed the presidency, with his deep connections to big business and higher education, McDonnell is walking a political tightrope as he navigates the UVA fiasco. But even those critical of Sullivan's ouster aren't eager to question the Governor's dedication to higher education, and particularly to UVA, where he has two sons currently enrolled.

"His budgets have increased funding for the University," notes Vaidhyanathan, who points out that Sullivan invited McDonnell to be the commencement speaker last year.

If some are speculating that political motivations were behind Sullivan's ouster and that McDonnell must have had prior knowledge, despite his repeated denials, Vaidhyanathan has a more generous analysis of McDonnell's reluctance to step in and control the process.

"He respects the traditional role of boards and is not in a position to dictate one resolution or another," says Vaidhyanathan, who believes at least one of McDonnell's board appointment decisions should be clear.

"If he reappoints Rector Dragas," Vaidhyanathan says, "he's basically extending the pain and trauma and making it that much harder for the university to recover. Alumni are going to doubt his commitment to the long-term future of the University."

As this issue went to press, the Board of Visitors voted unanimously to reinstate President Sullivan. For updates, go to www.readthehook.com.

37 comments

Clifford Kiracofe June 28th, 2012 | 4:59am

1. "McDonnell has explained away questions about any advance knowledge by informing other media that he merely got a courtesy call from the Rector a couple of days before the Rector dropped an axe on the neck of a popular and legally-appointed president."

So did any of the members of his Commission on Higher Education get calls also?

Free speach and debate is "divisive" and thus must be suppressed? What would George Orwell think? or Mr. Jefferson?

3. The General Assembly holds ultimate authority on higher education in Virginia. This is where the citizens of Virginia through their elected representatives make the laws. In addition to its lawmaking power, the General Assembly has oversight responsibility.

The Governor and Dragas by their statements appear to believe that they and the BOV can be "independent" of the citizens of the state and its legislature.

4. Just who did Dragas and the cabal have in mind to replace President Sullivan?

5. So what is up with this commission? Its members and so on? What legislative proposals has it made/will it make?

Rupert June 28th, 2012 | 6:19am

Hokie 76 writes in the Cavalier Daily:

On an otherwise quite fortnight in Hooville:

The Dragas, Kington and Kiernan cabal plots.
They attack suddenly and Sullivan is knocked out.
PT Jones gloats, and shows his hand.
The Hoos rally and counterattack.
Kington and Kiernan are taken down by their own emails.
From the Capital of the Confederacy the Governor commands: “Somebody do something!”
Sullivan recovers! A victory, and Dragas is irrelevant.
The battle is won. But wait . . .
Jones fumes at the incompetence of his minions.
And the evil Cuccinelli plots his next move.

A kegger on the Lawn.

…to be continued

shempdaddy June 28th, 2012 | 6:25am

This was likely done with the governor's tacit approval, if not at his urging. It was so badly botched and poorly executed by Dragas that it turned out to be an embarrassment to his administration--leading to the governor urging individuals to 'stop' exercising their first amendment rights to protest or have their elected officials speak out, lest it prove inconvenient and messy for him and the board.

G June 28th, 2012 | 6:34am

My favorite part is how the Governor thanked the BOV on Tuesday for acting decisively, as he "demanded."

As if someone he expects credit for sorting out the mess.

John June 28th, 2012 | 6:44am

Trashy article.

Pam June 28th, 2012 | 6:45am

Gov McDonnell is no friend to Education, though that is exactly how he campaigns. He is another pretty boy getting through politics on his good looks. Presented with the serious topic of campus crime, he failed to do anything but throw good taxpayer money at a useless and failed Domestic Violence and Campus Sexual Assault Committee last summer. The committee was so flawed he is convening it again this summer.

girlygirl June 28th, 2012 | 6:52am

Is it just me, or is the Governor starting to look an awful lot like that famous puppet?

I would like to see how all these players are connected to the Koch Brothers, who have now have their hands in the pockets of public education. Look at some of our Governor's BOV appointments at George Mason.... former Koch employee there.

Jones and Kiernan both sit on the board of an educational foundation Kidsfirst said to be funded by the Koch Brothers.

I smell something really rotten.

John Geare June 28th, 2012 | 8:31am

In truth, the power of the governor to actually do anything about the BOV may be somewhat limited. The pertinent portion of the Virginia Code (SECTION 23-69) reads as follows:

"The rector and visitors of the University of Virginia shall be at all times subject to the control of the General Assembly."

The governor's role is limited to appointing board members (Section 23-70) - nothing more:

"The board of visitors is to consist of sixteen visitors appointed by the Governor, of whom at least thirteen shall be appointed from the Commonwealth at large and not more than three shall be appointed from the nonresident alumni of the University of Virginia. . . all appointments are subject to confirmation by the Senate and the House of Delegates."

My guess is that many of the members of the General Assembly (except for members of the education committees, perhaps) are unaware of the power they hold, and also unaware of the limitation of such power applying to the governor, which power is so limited as to require confirmation by the legislature of the governor's appointments. Presumably, if the letter of the law is followed, it would lie with the legislature - NOT the governor - to take any action regarding the BOV.

As to the the BOV's control over the President and the faculty, the law is quite specific:

"They shall appoint a president, with such duties as may be prescribed by the board, and who shall have supreme administrative direction under the authority of the board over all the schools, colleges and branches of the University wherever located, and they shall appoint as many professors as they deem proper, and, with the assent of two-thirds of the whole number of visitors, may remove such president or any professor."

Thus, it takes the assent of 2/3's of the board (11 members) to dismiss the President. NOTE: the method of expressing this assent is not specified. The "assent" may be a soft spot when it comes to something as serious as firing the president, for it begs the question as to what means, exactly, was applied to determine that 11 people did, indeed, assent. It is here that an FOIA request for board records might prove fruitful. Exactly what was the nature of the deliberations? Was there an actual vote? What does the record show?

Thus, about all the governor could do was say, "Please stop." It hardly matters that he may have been persuaded one way or the other on Sullivan's occupancy as president. The only power he had was unofficial - he could talk to people, ask for favors, help make a "deal," perhaps. The power to do more, and to do it directly, is in the Assembly.

Presumably, any action with respect to the BOV could be taken by the Education Committees in the house and senate. It might be instructive for these committees to investigate the workings of the BOV in a series of hearings. Thus the demand for the truth, and a series of necessary reforms, would properly be directed to those committees.

The question is, will anyone do this?

NancyDrew June 28th, 2012 | 9:37am

I am waiting to see if McDonnell reappoints Dragas . The lack of a political upside to this makes most commentators guess he will not but - the elephant in this room --was he more deeply involved in Sullivan's firing than he has let on. If the answer is YES then we will see her reappointed, there just wouldn't be any other viable reason to do so.

NancyDrew June 28th, 2012 | 9:42am

Also, if he plans to reappoint her today may be the day, thinking, the outrage will be dampened by the good news, for liberals, upholding the Obama health care law. And throwing a bone to conservatives who are not having the best of days.

UVA Parent June 28th, 2012 | 10:34am

Governor McDonnell and his Governor wannabe buddy Cuccinelli were most certainly involved. Dragas still needs to go. Furthermore, it is not worth the lousy 5 to 7 percent the Commonwealth provides UVA to let an entire team appointed by the Governor without faculty, student, alumni and community appointees to be involved and have a vote. It's bad business!

freddy gonzo June 28th, 2012 | 10:44am

As screwed up as uva is, I was glad to see at least something come to light in the local news. If they would only report on some of the employees treatment, the hiring practices of uva, and reverse discrimination.

shempdaddy June 28th, 2012 | 1:50pm

He needs to let her appointment lapse if for no other reason than she is now powerless. She was completely defeated by Sullivan's allies and supporters(irregardless of the unanimous measure of support--a small bone) and would likely be so in the future. She was embarrassed and dominated by university constituent groups. While her actions led to this, the university should not have a rector who is that weakened.

NancyDrew June 28th, 2012 | 2:15pm

Dragas of late has been contributing to Dems . And this may explain why Mark Warner hasn't chimed in . Her last big contribution was to "Friends of mark Warner". Wonder if this will influence McDonnell.
Money talks.

When did private online degrees in Culinary Arts trump public degrees in Liberal Arts?

Nick bPayne June 28th, 2012 | 2:43pm

Regarding the balance of power between President Sullivan and the BOV, especially the BOV's Rector: President Sullivan is presently VERY vulnerable specifically because she's been nearly canonized. As a saint, any flaw, any undesirable characteristic, any error, any misjudgement - indeed, most forms of disagreement - can be (and probably will be) declared to be hypocrisy, backsliding, etc. Being perfect is a loser's game every time. My hope: she'll choose a battle quickly, fight it, maybe even lose it. It's like getting the first ding on your new car: you can relax now.

HELEN DRAGAS
A week ago, I thought Ms. Dragas had a good chance to be the state's first female Governor. Why? She seemed an ideal candidate for Lt. Governor. And if you win that race, then you become one of the few people capable of being elected Governor four years later. Ms. Dragas had the whole package. She was a rising star in my view.
A week ago that is.

But she is no longer in control of her image. This can be an image killer for someone who was essentially unknown to the press, for the media is the filter through which the public learns the "facts" in this matter.

This may not be fair, but she is the face of the event along with Ms. Sullivan: since Ms. Sullivan is the "victim," then the press needs a "villain."

Unless Ms. Dragas takes charge of her own image, she will be permanently damaged from all that is happening and likely will happen.

If she wants to avoid this reality, she needs to PUSH BACK HARD AND FAST.

Indeed, her advisors had best deal with the following question: Will she be re-appointed to the UVA Board of Visitors by the Governor, as her term expires in a few weeks? Indeed, does she want to be re-appointed?

GOVERNOR MCDONNELL
Ms. Dragas' term on the UVA Board expires in a few weeks. Everyone in the Commonwealth is watching to see whether McDonnell reappoints her or not. Both have a lot riding on what McDonnell decides.

On a net, net basis: Ms. Dragas needs for the Governor to reappoint her in terms of rehabilitating her image. But in so doing, the Governor will be seen as effectively endorsing what she did. Given his silence, he seems to be "jake" with it. He claims not to have known. But yet he doesn't seem furious as would other Governors for being left out of the loop.

In terms of 200-proof politics, McDonnell's safest political play would be NOT TO REAPPOINT Ms. Dragas.

Why? He could ask her to send him a letter asking not to be reappointed. She would likely do it if the choice was either that letter or not being reappointed.

This allows McDonnell to praise her service, her willingness to step aside to make it easier to resolve the situation, and also get a new person more loyal to him without being seen as pulling the rug out from Dragas. This is the best play for McD.

But even with this sugar coat, it would be a devastating blow to Dragas' image, one that could ruin her career in public service.

She is what, mid 40's? She still has a lot to offer. She is very talented. Should this be a hanging offense? "

McDonnell truly is in a gordian knot . Dragas is apparently a Blue Dog Democrat with her eye on the Governorship, but to get there she needs McDonnell to rehab her image by reappointing her to the BOV.
Fascinating

John Geare June 28th, 2012 | 3:50pm

I'm sorry, but for the life of me I find it difficult to see much special talent in Helen Dragas. The only business she ever worked for was her father's company, so there is little in her history to suggest a vast exposure to the world of business, in general. And her identity with UVA appears to be that of an alumnae, not as faculty. That she has sat on numerous boards or been active in various organizations on a voluntary basis tells us only that he gets around; it reveals nothing about about character, capacity or talent. I, too, have sat on numerous boards and count the rich and famous and influential among my acquaintances. But that does not make me "talented."

There is a breathless story about Helen ripping out bad wallboard from a number of the homes she was selling, because the materials were defective. We are to be amazed because she did this voluntarily. One must ask what the alternative was; to be sued and then be forced to do the same? She was at least bright enough to understand how to cut her losses, and clever enough to have made the whole thing look like an act of charity. For all I know, she may have been compensated by the contractor.

At best, and as the evidence has shown, she is a skilled manipulator - I suppose that is a talent of some kind. But, at some point, mere guile and craft is not enough. There must be substance, a record of untarnished accomplishment beyond a business one inherits. Membership on a board is no measure of this. We might pardonably suggest that secretive activity was necessary to remove Teresa Sullivan simply because open and inclusive discussion wouldn't do the job. Let us hope that any support for her as a lieutenant governor, or occupant of some similar position of political power, will now evaporate; likewise that she is not nominated for a second term on the BoV.

Sadly mistaken June 28th, 2012 | 4:22pm

UVA parent~McDonnell and Cuccinelli are not buddies. McDonnell was ready to crown his Lt. Governor as the next Governor of VA. Cuccinelli stepped up, crossed McDonnell, and tossed his hat in the ring before Bolling. His Imperial Highness was not amused. Bad blood between them now exists.

Barbara Myer June 28th, 2012 | 4:56pm

McDonnell & a (friend to be named) need to e-mail Dragas, to see if she's available today; Dragas will be back on campus at 5...and... we know what's next.

Or do we?

Ashbridg June 28th, 2012 | 5:16pm

Wouldn't we be better off with Helen Dragas, shamed and powerless, than any replacement McDonnell would appoint? Would you rather have someone like a Koch employee, fresh and emboldened, on the board? I wouldn't.

Cville Eye June 28th, 2012 | 5:47pm

@John Geare, thank you for your investigation. It adds a great deal of clarity.
@UVA Parent, "...to let an entire team appointed by the Governor without faculty, student, alumni and community appointees to be involved and have a vote. It's bad business!" It has obviously served UVa well up until now. Besides, putting a faculty member, a student, a former student, and a parent on the BoV does not mean that they will be representing anybody's interest but their own. Faculty, students, parents, alumni do not share the interests of all of the others in their groups. For example, a parent may be opposed to tuition hikes but a faculty member or student member may be in favor if it means higher pay for faculty or more school sponsored activities for students. They certainly can't be relied upon to bring any necessary expertise in governance to the BoV by mere virtue of their classification.

mlb June 28th, 2012 | 7:44pm

@nick bpayne

So, what you are saying is that Dr. Sullivan's worth to the University of Virginia will be based on her first FAILURE? You are wrong. President Sullivan will be evaluated based on her contract. You must be part of Dragas' PR. What an utter failure Dragas has proven to be.

Please illuminate me as to why a contracts course at Darden would instruct contrary to your idea.

Michael Z June 28th, 2012 | 8:03pm

It's hard for Bob to see Dragas' unjust and sinister acts from his view inside the Koch Brothers' colon.

mlb June 28th, 2012 | 8:04pm

@John Geare

You are correct in assuming there is no talent to Helen Dragas. Had Helen not been born with a silver spoon; would she have proven her real worth? I think not. She inherited her worth as an individual related to money. Leader, I think not. She has served as a puppet for the insiders at UVA who tried to undermine President Sullivan. The faculty and students have spoken, and they know the truth, and exposed the weaknesses of the UVA BOV's.

I hope the microscope continues to land on Ms. Dragas' past & present decisions, and McDonnell's future (realizing he is a one term governor because of Virginia laws) is put to a complete stop.

Signed, Republican for Higher Educational Decency

Dragas should never have been appointed on BOV in the first place.

Today, Dragas' only benefit to UVA is that she exposed UVA's reliance on past and present hedge funders. What a good feeling that is!

mlb June 28th, 2012 | 8:32pm

This is from another Hook posting:

Kington who resigned quote:

"please know that I would consider claims as you describe to be slander and I would be compelled to take any steps necessary to protect my reputation, Mark"

What are your thoughts on this statement from Mark Kington?

What do you know about this person, Mark Kington relative to University of Virginia? What is Mark Kington's history? Who is this person, Mark Kington?

RepublicanforSullivan June 28th, 2012 | 8:40pm

Why do Americans throw in the towel after one small victory?

The UVA has such a wonderful opportunity to exact change. Change that has nothing to do with politics. Change that will assist in the gainful employment of graduates from an esteemed institution, UVA. Why sit on your laurels and hope for the best?

Faculty, please engage yourselves!

If you do (sit on your laurels during this summer session) you will undoubtedly prove skeptics of public higher education correct. You don't care; and I would agree. Rally support or give in to the corporate world.

secretUVAsupporter June 28th, 2012 | 8:58pm

@Nancy Drew

that's a lot of old information. do you have anything new? has the faculty lost its mojo?

secretUVAsupporter June 28th, 2012 | 9:03pm

@NancyDrew

this information is all so old - no one cares. Inspire us with new information based on the FOIA. Mentality of America is FB and twitter. Get over yourself.

I don't think the summer is beneficial to your cause. The professors are no longer interested, nor is the public. President Sullivan reinstated & professors, faculty and staff go back to their dog day afternoons...........YAWN

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

UVAsupporter June 28th, 2012 | 9:13pm

When I no longer see the Dr. Kiracofe brothers commenting - I know it's over. Good luck UVA; for your complacency and stagnation. This situation should have inspired all that care about UVA but it was only short term. 2 weeks of buy in and your out? What a commitment! Thanks!

Just as the Governor had hoped. Just as the BOV & Dragas had hoped; you would go away; you all gave UP, and WHY?

Rector Dragas paid big bucks to see how this would play out and how long it would take University of Virginia to just sit on its laurels. UVA beat their expectations! Way to go! $100,000 well spent by DRAGAS! Losers: UVA

UVA is full of losers that don't follow through! Good luck with that approach to learning!

Nick Payne June 28th, 2012 | 11:15pm

@ Clifford Kiracofe:

The candidate they had waiting in the wings to take over from Teresa Sullivan was one Edward Miller, ex officio board member and former CEO of Johns Hopkins Medical.

He caught a whiff of something right after President Sullivan was forced to resign, and bolted.

NancyDrew June 29th, 2012 | 9:03am

Politics - not business .Much more to the Dragas reappointment than could be seen at first glance .